


it's funny, it took a punch to bring us together

by Argentina



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Modern Era, One Shot, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-23 14:29:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19703278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Argentina/pseuds/Argentina
Summary: "Suddenly, Thomas feels a fist strike right across his face, hitting him in the nose. His hands jerk up to cover his face and he can feel his eyes watering in response to the pain. He glances at Alex, expecting to see him furious, but he just appears to be shocked.Through his haze, it takes him a few moments to process why Alex looks that way, but he finally realizes… and he’s speechless. The room seems to have erupted in an explosion of color instantly."orsoulmate au where you don't see colors until you touch your soulmate





	it's funny, it took a punch to bring us together

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jamilton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jamilton/gifts).



> okay, i don't know how gifting fics work that much, because i've never done it before. but Jamilton is awesome, and i love all of his works, so i hope this is good enough. (also i know people usually do these for like exchanges so i don't know if it's weird for me to just randomly gift it to someone?)
> 
> ~
> 
> alex punches thomas in the nose at one point and he gets a nosebleed, but it's not like rlly graphic so i think it's fine
> 
> i've always wanted to do a soulmate au and now i finally did! it's one of those where you can't see color until you touch your soulmate. hope y'all enjoy!
> 
> unedited

Everyone knows about soulmates and colors. If you touch them, you’ll be able to see all the hues from then on. It’s something that almost everybody looks forward to in their lives, or at least everybody except for Thomas Jefferson. 

He’s never really cared about destiny, or any of the sort. He just goes about his life dating whoever he pleases, and doesn’t give his soulmate a second thought. He doesn’t know who it is, but he’s not interested in finding out either. 

Anyway, he supposes that even if he does make the discovery one day, it wouldn’t change things. He’s always valued his friendship with James more than any relationship he’s held before.

Nevertheless, Thomas had better things to worry about, such as the debate coming up this afternoon. He’s going up against Alexander Hamilton, and he’s determined to win. Thomas is the only person who matches up to Alex’s level, giving him a challenge that no one else in class can. Their rivalry isn’t filled with hatred, per se, but rather a competitiveness that satisfies both of them.

As he watches the minutes tick down on the analog clock plastered to the gray wall, Thomas taps his pencil against his desk, impatient. The professor is wrapping up some lesson about equations, and he couldn’t care less. Math was never his strong suit, but it isn’t what he’s passionate about either, so it’s fine. 

He absentmindedly doodles on the margins of his notebook, wondering if pencils actually contain gray pigment. His entire world is monochrome, so there’s not really a way for him to know whether the shades he see are the real colors or not. It could be, for all he knows. Those who see colors have claimed that some things don’t change in appearance, so there’s a possibility. 

The bell finally rings, and he grabs his bag along with his notes, dashing out of the door faster than the rest. Lunchtime is his safe haven, a place where he can wind down and enjoy his food while speaking to James. 

It’s an unsaid rule that his lunch has to contain macaroni and cheese. Sure, he grabs other kinds of things, but it has to be alongside his macaroni. You’d think that it would start tasting bland after a while, but Thomas never gets bored of eating the same thing. It’s just that good, apparently.

James gives a small wave as Thomas sets his things down at the table. James has a sandwich today, as well as a bottle of orange juice. Thomas has macaroni (of course) and too many brownies.

“Getting that brain food for speech and debate, I see,” James comments, eyeing Thomas’s stash. The excessive amount of sugar can’t be healthy.

“Yeah. I’m debating Hamilton, after all,” Thomas says, pulling his chair out.

“You’ve already told me that. Several times,” James replies, rolling his eyes and snatching a brownie. Thomas notices but lets him take it. “Anyway, you’re going to do fine. You’ve done this many times before.” 

“Yeah, and how many of those debates have I won?” Thomas grumbles. Alexander is good, very good at defending his side. 

“Like half? You two are more or less equally skilled,” James shrugs, taking another bite of his sandwich. 

“A little less than half, probably.” Thomas frowns, trying to recall the numerous arguments that have taken place between them. Although he’d never admit it aloud, he reckons that Alex might be just.. slightly better.

Thomas spots Alex from across the cafeteria, watching as the younger man makes his way over to the Hamilsquad. They always sit at the same table near the back. Surprisingly enough, the seats are never taken by the other students, which just proves how respected the group is. 

Thomas winces as he watches John toss his empty plastic water bottle in the trash can. The least he could do was place it in the recycling bin. Personally, Thomas carries a metal one to minimize the environmental damage. 

He knows that Alex and his friends don’t like him much, but sometimes he wants to just go up to them and talk. They seem chaotic, sure, but they’re also great people to hang out around. Most of the time he only talks to James, and there’s only so much to converse about. 

Lafayette breaks a piece off of his baguette and hands it over to Hercules, and Thomas can’t help but smile at the sight. They all seem so friendly to each other. 

Alex must’ve caught him staring, because suddenly he’s smirking at Thomas, causing him to look away. Thomas runs his hand through his curly locks and ignores the fact that he can feel himself blushing. 

He glances over at James, but the other man doesn’t seem to have noticed. He drinks his orange juice, giving Thomas a questioning look. Thomas shakes his head, returning to his own food, trying to disregard what just happened.

His mind drifts back to the notion of colors, and he finds himself trying to imagine the way everyday items would look. His spoon, James’s orange juice… He’s always known that orange was a color, but it’s also a fruit. He chuckles to himself. Naming an orange object after its hue is a new level of unoriginality. 

He vaguely remembers elementary school, how all the first graders were briefly taught the different names of the shades on the color wheel. It was extremely uncommon for any kid that young to have already discovered their soulmate, so there was no point in going in depth for that lesson. Many of the colors looked similar in a black and white scale, anyway. For those who actually needed practice, they likely had to approach a parent or another color-seer. 

He still might not care much about soulmates, but he finds himself wanting to know what colors look like.

~

Alex is being insufferable. His points are impeccable, his argument immaculate. Thomas rubs at his eyes, frustrated. He has to come up with something fast, or he’ll lose for sure.

It wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t pick his side on the topic. Abortion is a tricky one, and also one of the most controversial. It’s hard to defend himself when the majority of the class is against him, and would probably personally hunt him down if he ends up winning anyway.

“So, you’re saying that women should be forced to keep it even if it wasn’t their fault?” Alex asks, challenging Thomas to make a comeback.

“No, all I’m saying is that the child shouldn’t be punished for it,” he responds, trying to keep his cool. Why couldn’t Alex have been assigned to be pro-life?

“It’s not only concerning the offspring, it also has an impact on others involved,” Alex contradicts. “Maybe you should be more considerate, Thomas.”

Thomas inhales and wishes he was anywhere but here. 

“No words to back up your selfish claims?” Alex continues.

Why does he always have to attack me? Thomas clenches his fists, glaring at his feet.

“Cat got your tongue?” 

“If you think you’re so right, your mother should’ve just aborted you. You’d agree with it anyway.”

Thomas doesn’t know why he said it. It was out of anger, mostly, but it was irrational and offensive. He immediately realizes his mistake. Alex was abandoned by his father, but that didn’t mean-

Suddenly, Thomas feels a fist strike right across his face, hitting him in the nose. His hands jerk up to cover his face and he can feel his eyes watering in response to the pain. He glances at Alex, expecting to see him furious, but he just appears to be shocked.

Through his haze, it takes him a few moments to process why Alex looks that way, but he finally realizes… and he’s speechless. The room seems to have erupted in an explosion of color instantly.

He looks directly into Alex’s eyes, and Alex is breathing hard, still reeling from punching Thomas. Thomas can only focus on how pretty his… whatever color irises are. It’s insanely attractive, though.

The rest of the class is silent, observing the two. There’s not a single sound as Thomas and Alex stare at each other, coming to terms that they’re soulmates.

Thomas never tried considering any possible people who could’ve been destined to be with him, but he never would’ve expected this even if he had given it some thought.

But life with Alexander Hamilton… it doesn’t sound bad. On the contrary, it actually sounds kind of nice. 

But there’s no way Alex could want anything to do with him. The kid just punched him, for heaven’s sake. If that isn’t a telltale sign, then he doesn’t know what is. 

His vision becomes blurry with tears, and it’s not all from the pain. The full weight of the situation sinks in and he brings his hands up to wipe at his eyes with the backs of his hands.

He’s caught off guard when Alex’s eyes widen in alarm. There’s some shuffling nearby and suddenly Alex is right in front of him, holding a wadded up tissue to his nose, and handing another one over to Thomas.

Thomas grabs it in confusion, before looking at his hands and realizing that blood was staining the pristine white of the tissue. Alex really got him good. 

“Shit, I’m so sorry,” Alex mutters, looking up at him in concern. Thomas wants to laugh. Alex, apologizing to him? It seems like something that only happens in dreams. 

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” Thomas reassures.

Alex laughs awkwardly. “So, uh, soulmates, huh?”

“Soulmates, I guess. Even more surprising than you attacking me, to be honest,” Thomas admits.

“Woo, soulmates!” John shouts, hugging Alex from behind. The rest of the students break out into conversation after that, digging into the revelation. James smiles and claps Thomas on the back, congratulating him. 

“It’s funny, it took a punch to bring us together,” Thomas jokes, grabbing another tissue.

“I said I was sorry!” Alex says, grimacing at Thomas’s injury. 

“I know, I know. I kind of deserved it anyway.”

“No, no, I kind of overreacted. I know you didn’t mean anything by it,” he says, looking at the bloody tissues in Thomas’s hand.

“You should go to the bathroom and take care of that,” Alex says, gesturing to Thomas’s face. “And then we can talk about this entire color thing.”

“Oh, uh, yeah, sure!” Thomas laughs, turning to the door. “Oh, and you need to tell me what color your eyes are. They’re gorgeous.” And with that, he exits the room, leaving Alex to take in the compliment.

**Author's Note:**

> this turned out to be longer than i expected, even though it's a oneshot so it really isn't that long. i hope you guys liked it!


End file.
